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Hard work pays off for four college-bound FHS wrestlers
Normalcy has returned to the Fauquier High wrestling program.Since Virginia Tech rescinded its full-ride scholarship offer to Nick Cook in April, the Fauquier senior has landed a 70 percent offer from Indiana University and is anxious to join the Hoosiers this fall.
Cook also exacted revenge over Group AAA state champion Jack Burbank of Cox last weekend during an offseason freestyle tournament after the Cox junior had won the state title over Cook amid a stalling controversy in February.
Meanwhile, Tech coach Kevin Dresser, who helped Cook and Indiana connect, will still get the services of a Falcon in his wrestling room as Patrick Hilleary has accepted a preferred walk-on offer.
Plus, Fauquier’s Eric Russo and David Yost will continue as teammates at Virginia Military Institute. Yost, the last Falcon to commit with his decision earlier this month, will attend on a 50 percent scholarship.
Those four seniors give Fauquier its largest contingent of wrestlers who will continue careers in college.
“It really shows the direction the program is headed,” FHS coach Bryan Hurst said on Thursday, May 15, when his Falcon foursome gathered in Fauquier High’s gym lobby. “It’s going to open a lot of doors for future kids coming through our program. College coaches start talking to you more and might take more of a chance on you.”
Many colleges courted Cook, but there was little risk involved in the two-time state runner-up and winner of the Beast of the East and PowerAde tournaments. Virginia Tech offered a scholarship in February, but heightened academic standards caused by past problems kept Cook from being accepted. When Dresser learned this, he worked the phone lines to help find Cook a new home.
“I made some calls. I marketed him,” Dresser said after Cook signed with Indiana last month, “The [important] thing is making sure Nick is set up for success…Great kid, great family, great [IU] program.”
Cook will head to Indiana for orientation this summer and return again for preseason wrestling in the fall. He’s excited to practice against assistant coach Pat DeGain, an former All-American and NCAA Championships medalist.
“I’m definitely happy,” Cook said. “The Virginia Tech thing is completely out of my mind now..."See the Friday print edition of the Fauquier Weekend for the complete story.
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